Tripping mechanism for machines for marking mail



F. E. POOR.

TRIPPING MECHANISM 'FOR MACHINES F OR MARKING MAIL, &c. APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1911. RENEWED MAR. 1-1. 1919.

1,309,655, Patented July 15, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. POOR, PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL STAMPING MACHINE 00., OF NEW YORK,.N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR MARKING MAIL, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed January 13, 1917, Serial No. 142,254. Renewed March 14, 1919. Serial No. 282,733.

tain new and useful Improvements in Tripping Mechanism for Machines for Marking Mail, &c.; and I hereby declare that the folin Patents lowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This inventionis a novel improvement in machines for marking or canceling mail matter, checks and the like, such as shown I No. 1,022,191, dated April 2, 19 12, and No. 1,128,774, dated February 16, 1915. The present invention has particular reference to the means for tripping or releasing the printing die or roller by the action of the mail matter or ob]ect passing through the machine, which I shall hereinafiter refer to as letters, thereby intending to include anything or object upon which the machine is designed or adapted to operate.

The object of my invention is to increase the efficiency of the tripping devices and enhance the speed of operation of the machine, by obviating what has heretofore been a very objectionable and detrimental effect of the heretofore known similar tripping devices on the letters, if the machine was operated at very high speed.

'As heretofore constructed the tripping devices in such machines when operated at high speed would mar or injure the leading edges of the letters, particularly light envelops, thin mail or cards passing through the machine, sometimes tearing same and producing ring thereof. This has been due to the 4 fact that the trip finger controlling the operation of the die is operated by contact with the leading edges of the letters and heretofore such finger has had to be pushed along and out of the way by the letter, and as aresult thin mail orlight letters were apt to be doubled up or crumpled by the pressure requisite to overcome the resistance of the finger, and the'leading edges of such letters would be indented or notched by conobjectionable and unsightly mar-,

tact with this trip finger; and it has been impractical to operate the machines as heretofore constructed beyond a speed of approximately 600 per minute on miscellaneous mail matter, without liability of injuring or choking up the machine with torn letters, or injuring such letters in an objectionable way.

By my present invention I provide imroved tripping devices by which the objectionable' marring, or tearing, of the letters by the trip finger is obviated; and'machines equipped with my invention can be operated at a much higher speed; and practically between 25 and 35 per cent. increase in speed can be obtained by equipping present machines with my improved tripping mechanism mounted upon an attachable support.

I will explain one specific embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for the purpose of facilitating an understanding thereof; and set forth in the claims the features for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved tripping mechanism for mail marking machines and the like in operative position prior to tripping.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof just after being tripped by a letter.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the trip finger ready to return to tripping position.

In said drawings R, R indicate secondary feed rolls by which the letters indicated at M are directed between the printing roller P and the impression roller I all of which are or may be of usual construction.

Attached to the outer end of the shaft of the printing roller P is a stop arm 1 preferably carrying a roller 1 which is adapted to engage with a stop roller 2 on one arm adjustable screw 2 extending through a stud-3 on support 3 and adjustable by means of a thumb" nut 2 as shown.

To anarm 2 of the stop-lever is pivota-lly connected one end of a link 4 the other end of which is pivotally connected at 5 to one end of a trip-lever 5 which is pivoted at 5* on an arm 6 of a rocking lever pivoted on a stud 3 on support 3. The long arm of the trip-lever extends from the pivot 5 past the shaft of the roller R and its end 5 is adapted when in normal position to lie directly adjacent and across the meeting line or point of contact of the rollers R, R. The rocking lever has a short arm 6 at the side opposite the trip finger,

which arm 6 is connected to one end of a spring 6 the other end of which is attached to a stud 3 on the support 3. The stoplever is held in normal position by spring 2 bringing arm 2 .up against stop 3*. The

throw of the stop-lever upon tripping of the finger is limited by a stop-pin 7 on support 3 adapted to be contacted by arm 2". The rocking lever 6 is held in normal position by spring 6 bringing arm 6"? against a stop 8 on support 3.

In general the aforesaid parts resemble in construction and arrangement the parts heretofore used, but the parts and the pivotal connections between the parts are changed to produce a novel and improved result, to Wit, that after a letter has moved the end 5 of the trip-finger sufliciently to cause the roller 2 on the stop-lever 2 to release arm 1 (thereby permitting the printing roller P to be positively actuated by the usual means to print the letter) the end 5 of the trip-finger will be moved more quickly than and in advance of the letter, and out of the way, until the leading edge of the letter has passed beyond the end 5 of the trip 2 finger and safely entered between the rollers P, I.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the trip finger 5 at the moment before it is engaged by a letter M; Fig. 2 shows the position of the trip finger 5 the moment after it has caused the stop-lever to release arm 1, and it will be seen at this time the end 5 of the trip finger is moving in the same direction but faster than the leading edge of the letter, instead of dragging on and holding back the letter as it has done in the prior constructions. Fig. 3 shows the positions of the parts after a letter has entered the bite of rollers I and P.

In prior constructions after a letter has tripped the finger, the point of the trip finger moved a little more slowly than the letter and remained in contact therewith with the result that this trip finger, when the machine was operating at speed, would resist the forward movement of the letter and crumple same, and nick andinjure the leading edge of the letter;'and if it was atwould cause thin letters to buckle between the sets of rollers R, R and I, P, and

result in injury to the mail and clogging of the machine; so that with machines as herebefore constructed the utmost practical speed obtainable on miscellaneous mail has been about 600 letters per minute; while with a machine provided with my improved trip (Figs. 18) I am able to increase the speed on miscellaneous mail to about 800 or more letters per minute. 4

Fig. 1 shows the trip finger 5 in its'normal or home position while Fig. 2 shows the trip finger just after it has been actuated by a" passing letter M so as to break or release the locking engagement between the rollers 1 and 2*; this action I term releasing, be cause frictional driving devices (not shown) constantly tend to revolve arm 1 and roller P; but these cannot revolve as long as stoplever 2 is in its normal or locking position Figs. 1 and 3. Upon the release of arm 1 the frictional driving means (not shown) on the shaft of roller 1 onarm 1 first pushes roller 2 aside out of its path, thus rocking the stop-lever and transmitting motion through link 4: to the trip-finger 5, causing it to rock on 5*.

A relatively slight movement of pivot 5* to the right causes the point or end 5 of the trip-finger to move rapidly to the left and away from the letter M just after the front edge of the letter has performed its function of operating trip-finger 5 to release the locking engagement of roller 1 with roller 2*. The end 5 of the trip-finger then moves rapidly away from and in advance of the letter to about the position shown in Fig. 2 until arm 2 contacts with the stop 7, Fig. 2, which prevents the trip-finger coming in contact with the die or roller P, during which time arm 1 has advanced rotatively to about in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the leading edge of the letter M passes the end 5 of the trip-finger. As arm 1 advances still further spring 2 pulls arm 2 back toward its normal or locking position, which movement of arm 2 necessitates movement of the link 4 and the trip-finger 5. The return motion of the arm 2 tends to return trip-finger 5 back to normal position, but the point 5 of trip-finger 5 cannot now swing back to the right through the same are on which it swung to the. left, because the letter has new advanced beyond the end 5 of the finger. The pivotal points and'connections of the parts are such however, that by reason of the force exerted by the spring 2*,the point of the trip-finger 5 will rest very lightly against the letter and will slide along the side of the letter until it reaches the nearly normal position shown in Fig. 3. In doing the letter has advanced far enoughto clear the point of trip-finger 5 (Fig. 3), the spring 6", acting on arm 6, rocks arm 6 on its pivot 3 and moves the trip-finger so as to project its end 5 into normal position across the path of the letter, as shown in Flg. 1, ready for engagement by the next letter;

there being ordinarily a space of about onehalf inch or more between successive letters as they pass through the machine.

The front edge of the letter M is only in contact with the point of trip-finger 5 during the short period of motion requlred to move the roller 2 off center from the roller 1; and thereafter the force required to withdraw the trip-finger'out-of the path of the letter is furnished by the frictional drive (not shown) acting through arm 1; and the power for the two return motions of the trip-finger is furnished, first by spring '2 and then by spring 6*.

When the approaching letter strikes the end of the trip finger, (Fig I) said end s swungforward to the p os1t1on shown in 'Fig. 2 describing a centam are and as the point of finger returns to almost normal position before the whole of the letter has passed, it obviously cannot return through exactly the same are in which it swung out and must return through a slightly different are to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Arm 1 makes a complete rotation for each letter actuating the trip mechanism, but after each rotation it is stopped in normal position by the roller 2 while the trip-finger 5 may be in the position shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that in my invention the pivot 5 is shifted nearerto the pivot 3 and upwardly toward the perlphery of the roller R and the change in these two pivots produces a quicker movement of the end 5 of the trip-lever when it is struck and enables the leading edge of the letter to pass the critical point between the rollers without being injured by pressure or resistance and without being obstructed by the trip-finger.

In prior constructions after the trip-finger had actuated the stop-lever 2 1t stlll had to be pushed along by the letter and out of the way, whereas in my new construction after the letter has caused the trip finger to release the trip, the end of the trip-finger moves in advance of the letter until the latter has passed the critical point.

The other parts of the machine such as the frictional d'riving means for the printing roller and the means for operating the print ing and impression rollers are well known and form no part of the present invention, and are therefore not shown nor explained herein, but will be readily understood by those familiar with this class of mail markingmachines, and such persons will readily appreciate the meritorious and novel advantages and utility of my improvement over the heretofore known devices; which improvement, notwithstanding its simplicity,

has overcome a very troublesome defect in such machines which many inventors and mechanicians have vainly sought to obviate.

Another novel feature of my invention re sides in the fact that all of the elements constituting the tripping mechanism are mounted upon a plate or support 3, which is attachably and detachably secured upon the bed or frame of the machine through the medium of the screws 3 or other suitable securing means. By this arrangement the tripping mechanism as a unit may be readily at tached to or detached from the machine, and this obviates the difficulties met with in other tripping constructions in which it is necessary to practically disassemble the parts before the same can be removed; and to separately attach each part of the tripping mech anism to the machine in applying the same thereto, therefore it will be seen that by assembling all of the parts as a unit upon a common support renders my invention more advantageous than other constructions now: in general use.

Furthermore by reason of this construction the tripping mechanism may as a unit be readily attached to or detached from the machine with which it is employed without having to disassemble or otherwise disturb any adjacent part or parts of the machine in order to attach the tripping mechanism, as a unit, to such machine or remove it therefrom.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die; a trip having its free end lying in the path of the letters, a rocking-lever to which the tripis pivoted, a link connecting one end of the trip with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of the trip and the pivotal connections of the trip to the said rocking-lever and to the link, being so disposed that after a letter has engaged the trip and caused the latter to shift the stop-lever sufliciently to release the printing roller, the end of the trip is moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for marking mail matter and the like having feed rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop-arm connected with the printing roller or die; a rocking stop-lever adapted to engage said stop-arm; a trip-finger having its free end adapted to lie in the path of letters adjacent the meeting edges of the feed rollers, a rocking-lever to one arm of which the trip-finger is pivoted, a link connecting the sLort arm of the trip-finger with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of said trip-finger and the pivotal connections of the trip-finger to said rockand impression rollers; and means for operating said rollers including means for posia trip-finger ing edges of the feed rollers, a rocking-lever stop-arm,

printing roller when refor arresting the printing roller or die in normal position, of a trip-finger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, a rockinglever to wh ch the trip-finger is ivoted, a link connecting one end of the trip-finger with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of the trip-linger and the pivotal connections of the tI1pfiI1- ger to the said rocking-lever and to the link, being so disposed that after a letter has engaged the trip-finger and caused the latter toshift the stop-lever sufficiently to release the printing roller, the positive operation of the printing roller causes the end of the trip-finger to be moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for marking mail matter and the like having feed rollers and printing and impression rollers; and frictional means for positively rotating said printing roller when released; a stop-arm connected with the printing roller or die; a rocking stop-lever adapted to engage said stop-arm; having its free end adapted to lie in the path of letters adjacent the meettively driving said leased, a stop-lever to one arm of which the trip-finger is pivoted, a link connecting the short arm of the trip-finger with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of said trip-finger and the pivotal connections of the trip-finger to said rocking-lever and to said link being so disposed that after a letter has engaged the trip-finger and through its connections caused the stop -lever to release the prlnti-ng roller the positive movement of said printing roller causes the stop-arm throughthe said connections to move the end of the trip-finger away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and print ing and impression rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printlng roller or die; a tripfinger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, and means for varying the speed of movement of said trip-finger.

6. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die; a trip-finger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, and means for accelerating the speed of movement of said trip-finger in one direction and reducing its rate of speed in the opposite direction.

In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die; a tripfinger having its free end lying in the path of the letters and means for accelerating the speed of movement of said trip-finger in one direction and reducing its rate of speed in the opposite direction, said trip-finger and;

means for Varying the arc of movement of the trip-finger being mounted upon a re movable support, whereby the same may be attached to or removed from the machine as avunit.

8. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die; a tripfinger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, a rocking-lever to which the trip-lever is pivoted, a link connecting one end of the trip-finger with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of thetrip-finger and the pivotal connections of the trip-finger to the said rocking-lever and to the link, being so disposed that after a letter has engaged the trip-lever and caused the latter to-shift the stop -lever sufliciently to release the printing roller, the end of the trip-finger is moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, and a support for maintaining said trip-finger and its cooperating members in operative position upon the machine.

9. Ina machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression'rollers; a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die; a tripfinger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, a rocking-lever to which the trip-lever is pivoted, a link connecting one end of the trip-finger with one arm of the stop-lever, the length of the trip-finger and the pivotal connections of the trip-finger to the said rockinglever and to the link, being so disposed that after a letter has engaged the trip-lever and caused the latter to shift the stop lever sufficiently to release the printing roller, the end of the trip-finger is moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter,

- the like,

and an'easily removable support for maintaining said trip-finger and its cooperating members in operative position upon the machine, said support and the tripping mechanism thereonbeing removable and replaceable as a unit, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having printing means; and means for arresting the printing means; of a trip lying in the path of the letters, and means whereby after a letter has engaged the trip and caused the latter to release the printing means, the trip is moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for marking letters and having printing means; and a stop-lever'for arresting the printing means in normal position; of a trlp lying in the path of the letters, and means whereby after a letter has engaged the trip and caused the latter to shift the stoplever sufliciently to release the printing means, the operation of the printing means causes the trip to move away from the advancing edge'of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; a stop lever for arresting the printing roller, and a trip-finger having its free end lying in the path of the letters; with means whereby after the letter has engaged the trip-finger and caused the latter to shift the stop-lever sufficiently to release the printing roller, the end of the trip-finger is moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for marking letters and l the like, having feeding rollers and printing and impression rollers; means for positively driving said printing roller when released, a stop-lever for arresting the printing roller or die in normal position; and a trip-finger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, with means whereby after a letter has engaged the trip-lever and caused the latter to shift the stop-lever sufliciently to release the printing roller, the positive operation of the printing roller causes the end of the trip-finger to be moved away from the advancing edge of the letter faster than the travel of said letter, substantially as described.

14. In a machine for marking mail matter and the like, having feed rollers and printing and impression rollers; tripping mechanism for controlling the printing operation, and a removable plate upon which said trippingmechanism is mounted said plate and mechanism thereon being attachable to or detachable from the machine as a unit independently ofall other parts of themachine, substantially as described.

15. In a machine for marking letters and the like, having feeding and printing and impression members; a stop-lever for arresting the printing member; and a tripping mechanism including a trip-finger having its free end lying in the path of the letters, and means for varying the are of movement of said trip -finger, said trip -finger and means for varying the arc of movement thereof being mounted upon a removable support, whereby the same may be attached to or removed from the machine as a unit independently of all other parts of the machine, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

FREDERICK E. POOR. 

